So Easy
by Austin B
Summary: It had always been easy for her, except not really. To pick up and leave, follow her prey. But this time was different. It was harder for her to leave this place. These people. Hannibal King made sure of that. AbbyKing 2chapters
1. You're Not Making This Easy

**So Easy**

It had always been easy for her, except not really. To pick up and leave, follow her prey. She was, after all, a huntress. Sometimes she feared that was all she would ever be. But this time was different. It was harder for her to leave this place. These people. Hannibal King made sure of that.

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Chapter 1 - _You're Not Making This Easy

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He padded through the kitchen in bare feet, boxers and a white tank. An expression of slight confusion twisted his handsome features. Something felt different.

Well, of course something felt different. Everything felt different. Because, well, everything WAS different. It hadn't really hit him until this morning. He woke up and looked at himself in the mirror, thought how much different he looked. Though the only real difference was the short stubble on his face instead of the scraggly beard. He'd shaven it on a whim after Abby threw out an offhanded remark that probably didn't even mean anything to her. But it meant something to him. It always did.

So now he silently padded about, searching, stalking though he wasn't even aware of it. It was just in his nature, now. To walk as if he was coming onto a coven, guns drawn. He'd noticed that about Abby, too. When she wasn't paying attention, which wasn't often, he'd catch her unconsciously using swift, hard, vampire executing movements for simple tasks, like cooking a stir fry.

Now, King rounded the corner to find nearly all of Abby's meager belongings sprawled over the kitchen island that doubled as their dinner table, and Abby herself standing over them, shoving things hastily a backpack. Her lips were pressed together tightly, brow drawn down, lines of tension creasing her pretty face.

"Abby?" He questioned. She did not flinch. She'd known he was there. But still she did not answer him. She cinched up her pack and slung it over her shoulder. "What are you doing?" King followed her as she strode through the living room to the gun cabinet. She threw open the doors and proceeded to stock up on all her favorites. King had finally had enough silence. When she slammed the doors shut, he grabbed her by the shoulders, hard.

"Fuck, Whistler, answer me!" He demanded. Abby only glared at him and grabbed his wrist, twisting and ducking under his arm to slam him against the wall. She held him there with her body against his back, her voice at his ear as she ground out a warning.

"Do not get in my way, King."

Then she was striding quickly toward the door. Panic swelled in him like a sudden gust of cold air. He ran to catch her, pulled her back by the arm and this time he was ready to deflect the maneuver she made for his wrist. She was using defensive tactics, not yet pushed to using more violent offensive jabs and kicks.

"Where the hell are you going?" He asked, when she'd stopped trying to wrench from his iron grip. He knew she could've fought harder, but she didn't want to.

"I'm going hunting." Abby answered sternly. It was not a total lie.

"You packed everything. Just how long are you going to be hunting?"

King's grip had loosened, and Abby took the opportunity to shake his hands off her shoulders. "There aren't any more vampires in the city, King."

He blinked, shocked. "You're fucking kidding. We can finally live in peace and you're going after them? To fight more, to run more, to live in fear more?"

"I don't live in fear. I never have."

"Bull Shit, Whistler. And you know it."

She just gave him a steely glare and turned again. But King managed to get between her and the door. His back was pressed against the cool metal, and Abby's small frame stood menacingly not a foot away from escaping from his life forever. King's heart pounded hard against his ribcage, an unnatural, all consumingsort of fear creeping over him. He did not like that feeling. Not one bit.

"Why are you really leaving, Abby?"

"I told you, King, now get outta my fucking way!"

"It's just so easy for you, isn't it? Nothing matters but the kill, no one else matters." He spat, goading her. You can never tell more about a person than you can when they're angry.

"Move before I move you myself."

"No. Abby." King's hands had been braced on the door behind him, though now they reached out to her. She quickly slapped them away. She was starting to piss him off. Abby liked it better that way. It was easier to deal with.

King reached out quickly to grab her, but she grabbed his arm quicker and pulled him into the kick she delivered to his stomach. He doubled over for a moment before reaching up and yanking the string from her backpack to pull her off balance. King then kicked her ankle out from under her so she was flat on her back with his left foot pressing on her stomach.

"Goddammit King!" She growled, furiously trying to push his bare foot off her. Despite her considerable strength and agility, he was still stronger.

"Why don't you want to stay with us?" He asked fiercely, though the weight of the question made her stop thrashing, the weight in his blue eyes crushing her.

"I can't stay, King, don't you get it?" Abby shouted, and in a moment of distraction she shoved King's foot off her and swiveled her leg around to kick his out from under him.

He recovered quicker than expected, however, and as soon as she was up in stance again, he was attacking. She evaded him with a quick side step and instead delivered a good one-two to his kidneys as he pushed himself back off the wall to lunge at her. He deflected a punch and briefly considered returning one, but decided against it, though he doubted if she'd hold it against him later. This was a fair fight, after all. If anything, she was the one with the upper hand. She always was better at hand to hand than he was.

Instead, however, King faked a punch and as she ducked he reached over her shoulder to pull the pistol from its holster on her upper shoulder blade. Abby rose to the barrel of a gun at her nose.

"Why are you doing this?" He was full of questions, she saw it in his eyes. Abby also saw the anger, the betrayal, raw and painful. She had to make him understand. She wanted to think the way he was looking at her didn't kill her, but the truth was, it made her want to crawl in a hole and stab herself in the face with something sharp. So she had to make him stop looking at her like that. She had to make the betrayal in his eyes go away. Had to make him understand. Had to, had to.

"I'm sick of playing house, King!" She shouted, her eyes lighting with some intensified emotion. "None of it's real! We're not a family, you're not my husband, Zoey, she's not my daughter! It's not real! My real family is dead."

"Is that what you think is going to happen to us if we become a real family to you? That's why you're leaving? Distance yourself. Never love anyone again because the ones you love end up dead?"

Abby deftly removed the gun from King's hand with a well placed punch to his forearm. He recoiled in shock, and caught Abby's fist that was headed next for his chin. With a quick turn, he had her arm behind her back, holding her to the wall with his chest against her back. His lips moved next to her ear and Abby clenched her teeth to combat the gush of emotions racing through her body.

"Well I loved Sommerfield and the guys, too. And you and Zoe are all I have left now. Just like we're all you have. So don't be a coward. Don't run away. We need you."

Abby pushed them both back off the wall and turned to face him, her features screwed up in a grimace. "No you _don't_." She spat. "I'm no good for anything but dusting vamps anyway and they're all gone!"

King's jaw dropped, "You've gotta be kidding me. You made the best pancakes I've ever tasted yesterday."

"Shutup!" Abby ground out and leapt at him, fury exploding into an uncontrollable ball of flying punches and spinning kicks. King's adrenaline had to be at an all time high. The stakes were, after all, the highest he'd ever gambled with.

Abby kicked him in the chest, sending him flying back into the wall with a thud, though he remained on his feet. They met in the middle of the hallway again, both at a dead run toward one another. Abby, blinded by fear and the rage it caused, slipped up her usually flawless combat. King managed a firm hold on her wrists and whipped her around to slam her back against the wall, his body holding her there. She looked up at him with terrifyingly dark eyes and he did not hesitate to quickly close the distance and press a bruising kiss on her mouth. He kissed her fiercely, almost painfully holding her body against him. Abby, wrists released, responded immediately, which vaguely surprised them both, though not really. Her fingers pulled at his messy hair and she jumped a little to wrap her legs around him when she heard him groan in pleasure.

They acted on pure, raw rage and instinct. It was all passion and ferocity and Abby bit hard on King's bottom lip, which only earned her another deep growling sound of carnal desire.

Abby's hands slid down to the hem of his shirt, fully prepared to divest him of all clothing right there in the hallway. Instead, she planted her feet firmly on the ground and pushed him away, hard. She ran at him again ferociously, teeth bared with a shout of rage. Abby fought more fiercely this time, movements quicker, sloppier. He knew she was slowing down, letting her emotions get the best of her.

Still, he took a good beating before he managed to start deflecting her vicious attacks. Only when King blocked a left and right punch by locking her arms under his did he realize there were tears on her face. Though her brow was still drawn down, lips pressed tight in typical fighting expression, her eyes were red with tears. King released her arms from the position in which he could've broken both her elbows, and instead wrapped his arms around her shoulders. Abby fought weakly for a moment, pushing against his chest, but she'd already begun to sob. She leaned into him, her face in his shoulder, tears dripping over his skin, soaking into his tank. Her fingers tangled in the fabric at his sides as she was wracked with the force of her grief.

He thought he could make out words in between the painful gasps for breath, but he could not be sure. She repeated her words over and over again.

"I love you. I love you both. I love you both so much. But I just can't. I'm too _scared_." She wailed, another wave of sobs crashing down upon the woman who had always hated to cry, the woman who was always strong, composed.

King just kissed her hair, held her body tight against his when her knees gave out from the force of it all. He murmured nonsensical, reassuring things that made her feel as if she'd never have to worry again. Things she'd never forget as long as she lived, though she could never repeat the exact words, she knew she'd always remember.

"So stay and protect us." King finally said, when her violent sobs had died down to deep, shuddering breaths. "You promised Sommerfield you would. Would you rather run away and miss us, feel guilty about leaving us? Or would you rather take the small chance of heartbreak and stay to make sure that nothing happens to us. Don't doubt yourself. You can protect us. What am I saying? I can protect us. Come on! I won't let anything happen to us!" He exclaimed lightly, leaning back to see the weary wisp of a smile. Abby leaned heavily against him, staring out into the kitchen, her cheek on his warm chest, arms still balled in the fabric on his stomach.

"You said it yourself, there are no vampires in the city anymore, anyway. This is probably the safest place we could be, now."

Abby pulled in a long breath and released it in a sigh. She pulled back, wiping the tears and sweat off her face with her hands. She kept her gaze averted downward, and nodded a little, turning slowly for the bathroom where she washed her face. Abby stared at her reflection in the mirror, the fluorescent bulbs overhead that cast such ugly shadows on the circles under her eyes flickered for a moment. She mumbled a curse at herself for thinking of leaving them.

If yesterday had not been so Goddamn…wonderful, it would not have been this hard, she thought, though she knew it still would have been. She could still imagine warm weight of Zoe in her arms, and it was the most beautiful thing she'd ever felt. Abby remembered King next to her as she washed the dishes. It had all seemed so…normal. So…home. She cherished the memory of it, running through it a million times in her head...

Abby had stood in the cement floored kitchen washing the dishes and studied the wall of drawings and photos that were taped up to the wall in front of her. So many memories, so many dreams. Drab grey walls around her brightened only by the small decorations she'd taken to buying and the colorful drawings Zoey'd artfully created of houses, rainbows and the three of them holding hands. Labeled, with arrows pointing to their big circle heads, of course. Zoey was between Abby and King, they were all smiling, and she'd drawn a big red heart above them.

She'd felt King next to her, silently drying and stacking the plates and putting away the silverware. Abby rinsed out the sink and said something about it being his turn next time. To which he'd laughed. King then leaned imperceptibly closer to her. He'd caught a whiff of the tantalizing mango shampoo she used and something else unidentifiable that from then on would always remind him of her. In a moment of weakness, he leaned down and pressed a kiss to her hair and chirped a cheerful goodnight. He did not see Abby still standing at the sink, hands clutching the countertop with white knuckles, eyes squeezed shut to fight back tears...

With all her makeup now successfully cried off, eyes puffy and still a bit pink from crying, Abby grimaced. She smoothed down her hair in the level ponytail and straightened her shirt, frowning. Finally, she opened the door slowly, knowing King was outside waiting for her. He was leaning against the wall opposite the door, arms crossed over his chest, looking down at his crossed ankles. He looked up to her as she stepped out, and both were silent for a moment, unsure of what to say after all that had occurred between them. Abby was vaguely embarrassed by her outburst of emotions, by the sheer passion that he'd stirred in her, and for the mistake she almost made in leaving, but the sight of him now washed away her shame. It was King, she needn't be embarrassed about herself with him. She knew all of his stupid little habits, and she trusted him.

King's eyes reflected nothing but tenderness in that moment, and he smiled, jerking his head toward the kitchen. She followed him as he poured them both tall glasses of milk and pulled down the Oreo's he'd bought from the cupboard.

Abby smiled at his childishness sometimes, but before she would seldom partake in it with him, as she did now. However, it would take more than Oreo's to wash away the somberness that filled the air again. Abby swallowed her cookie and took a sip of her milk as she contemplated the swirling thoughts in her head.

It had always been so easy for her, but not really. To just pick up and leave, follow her prey. She was after all, a huntress. Sometimes she thought-- no, feared, that was all she would ever be. She'd done it so many times before as she followed her path to this place. But was her purpose over, now that she'd helped Blade kill Drake? There were still more vampires in other places she could hunt, but this time it was much harder to pick up and leave. King had made sure of that. She gave him a sideways glance and grinned as she watched him thoroughly enjoy his cookies. She remembered how viciously they'd fought just minutes ago, how he'd kissed her. How she'd kissed him back and wanted nothing more than to stay there forever.

The smile dropped quickly as she drew her brow in grief. She weighed her words carefully before she spoke, not wanting to give too much of herself away. But it couldn't really be helped. No matter what she said, her true feelings would be behind every word, and King would hear them. But what did it matter now, anyway? She was tired of hiding. From him, from herself.

"I was going to leave last night. That's why I made you pancakes that morning." Abby chanced a brief smile. "But it just made it harder. And then…then Zoe fell asleep in my arms by the T.V. And you- you kissed me goodnight. So I thought I'd give myself one last night. A few more hours to pretend. Then I had a nightmare that I came home with a bag of groceries and found you and Zoe dead on the basketball court. I was crying for an hour after I woke up. I knew then that I definitely had to leave. Thought it would be better to just go without saying goodbye. If I saw either of you, I wouldn't be able to leave."

King finished chewing his cookie carefully, regarding her curiously. Abby anxiously awaited a reply. Just say something, anything!

He opened his mouth to speak, but Zoey came into the kitchen then, all tangled hair and sleepy yawns as she rubbed her eyes.

"You guys woke me up." She whined, leaning all her weight against King's leg languidly. King laughed and lifted her up to sit on the table.

"It's time to get up anyway. It's already eight o'clock." King replied sweetly, and Abby grinned at the sight of the two of them.

Zoey just groaned again and leaned forward to rest her head against King's chest. King glanced over the child to Abby, who couldn't help her smile. King returned it before addressing Zoey again.

"Here, have a cookie." He said, shoving one at her face from below. She straightened, immediately intrigued.

"Oooh! Oreo's!"

"Nu-uh." Abby snatched it from King's hand before Zoey got a hold of it. "Oreo's are not breakfast food, silly." She slid off the chair at the island and went to the cupboard. "There's Captain Crunch and Fruity Pebbles-"

"I want pancakes!" Zoey exclaimed, and King mimicked the girl's animated expression. Abby mocked exasperation.

"I cooked you hounds pancakes yesterday!"

"I know Abby, but they were sooo good!" Zoey gushed, and King grinned.

"The girl has a point, Ab."

"Fine. Pancakes it is."

Zoey cheered and King lifted her above his head with a strongman roar and tossed her on the couch. They wrestled for a bit, until Zoey noticed Abby's backpack discarded hastily in the hall during her fight with King. The girl sobered immediately.

"Abby are you going somewhere?" Zoey asked innocently, a little panicked, and Abby looked at her, then to her backpack in the hall, then at King with a knowing look.

"No. I'm not going anywhere." Abby reassured her and smiled at King.

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Can I just say I LOVE Ryan Reynolds? Oh my God he's gorgeous and just hilarious. I could gush on and on, but I won't, because if you're reading this story, I'm sure you know exactly what I'm talking about.

This is not the end, I have a chapter 2 which is more of a lil epilogue. Gimme a couple reviews and I'll post it. Thank you come again!

The infamous,

Austin B.


	2. The Pieces

Thanks reviewers! I truly appreciate it!

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**Chapter 2 – The Pieces****

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**Abby needed some air to clear her head, so she went out after breakfast, leaving King to the dishes. He protested, but she had only to remind him that it was, in fact, his turn, and he relented. 

"But I helped you."

"Get Zoey to help. What are kids for if not chores?"

"Hey." Zoey pouted from the couch. She'd been glued to the T.V. since breakfast and no nuclear bomb could've pulled her away, but the mention of her name could. Abby winked at her and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Zoey exclaimed, bounding to her from the couch. Abby was enveloped in an unexpected hug and received a wet kiss on the cheek.

"I'm just going shopping. I'll be back in a few hours." Abby reassured, a little taken aback.

"Okay. See ya." Zoey replied disinterestedly as she ran and jumped back on the couch. Abby looked up to see King grinning amusedly at her shock. She just wiped the look off her face and exited with a shout of "Bye!" from King. She waved.

After Blade disappeared again, and all the vampires were gone, Abby had taken to shopping to relieve stress. Instead of buying clothes for herself, she'd bought dishes. Real plates, silverware. The Nightstalkers had never had more than Pizza on napkins or paper plates and Chinese take out boxes. Now she bought rugs for the cement floors and thought briefly that they should carpet the whole damn place. It was too cold on warm feet in the morning.

A pretty potted plant caught her eye in Wal-Mart, so she shrugged and hauled it into her stuffed cart. The cash they'd commandeered from busted vampire covens came in handy. She'd always thought it was a bit like blood money, and it weighed on her conscience sometimes, but decided it was being put to good use here.

In the checkout aisle, she threw a couple candy bars for the three of them in with her things. Abby suddenly looked down at herself. She'd changed into low slung jeans and a plain black fitted tee since that morning when she wore her maroon leather jacket and other various combat gear. Then she looked around at all the other people milling about in the store and smiled.

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King looked at her funny when she brought home light blue and pink rugs for the bathroom and a big maroon one for in front of the couch, where Zoey liked to lay. But then he laughed and expressed his approval as he helped her haul in the plant and other bags of food, candy and a couple good razors, since King had taken to shaving again. She wondered if it had anything to do with her comment the other day about looking like a mountain man. Not that she didn't like him with that unkempt beard. But he did look roguish and sexy with a five o'clock shadow. 

Macaroni and cheese and pizza made their supper. And they ate it off white glass plates with little blue flowers around the edges. Zoey chattered about her day with King by the harbor and they all laughed and talked. They left the dishes in the sink and sank down in the couch, watching some stupid Sci-Fi movie that they didn't care enough about to change one way or the other. All that mattered was that they were there. Together.

King sat by the arm of the old, sinking couch. Zoey sat next to him, curled up with her head on Abby's lap and her feet on King's. She was asleep before too long, and without her chirping remarks and questions about the movie, the room was relatively silent.

"So what now?" King asked, and Abby looked at him, confused. "Are you ready to play house again?" His tone was slightly edgy, short and cutting. Abby drew down her brow further, a little indignation and anger. She avoided the question all together.

"I should put her to bed." She said as she gathered the sleeping girl in her arms, cooing to her when she protested with a sleepy grunt. Zoey draped her arms around Abby's neck as she carried her to her room. King was outside, pacing in the hallway when Abby exited Zoey's room after tucking her in. He was wearing baggy khaki pants and a faded dark green T shirt with Ireland written across the chest.

"What's the matter with you?" Abby asked in a whisper as she walked down the hall, upon seeing King's disturbed expression.

"With me?"

"Yes, with you! I'm staying, isn't that enough?" Abby threw herself furiously into washing the dishes to avoid throwing punches. She didn't want to kick his ass twice in one day. And although the result of their scuffle that morning hadn't been unpleasant, Abby was still easing herself into this...whateverwas happening here. Any more physical contact with King and she'd lose all inhibition completely.

"No. It's not enough. Not anymore." He replied, eyes dancing dangerously, jaw set in determination.

"What more do you want from me?" Abby looked at him, hands stilling in the dishwater. King opened his mouth, but instead of speaking, just hooked a strong hand around the back of her neck and pulled her lips to his.

Her hands were wet as they pressed firmly against his back, then up and around his neck as he lowered his hands over her body. King would admit freely that he'd often dreamt of this. Fantasized about the remote possibility of Abby giving in to him. Giving him her perfection. But this was so much better than he ever even imagined.

King lifted her a little so she could wrap her legs around his waist. He'd like it when she'd done it before in the hallway. He moved to set her on the island, his hands already on the bare skin of her back. Abby was reeling, marveling at the feel of his lips, fierce yet soft. And the unidentifiably unique taste of his kiss that she thought she'd never quite get enough of.

King was always aloof, making light of everything with constant jokes. But she was the one, the only one who made him feel such an urgent need. Her pride grew a little, but she could no longer form coherent thoughts, because King had leaned further into her, tongue sliding over hers, biting gently on her lip. She grinned, remembering how she'd done the same to him earlier that morning, only a bit more vicious. He was just teasing her.

When it seemed he couldn't get enough, King lifted her again and carried her easily down the hall. All the while Abby never ceased trailing her lips over his face, his neck, blowing deliberate little breaths over his ear. He nearly tripped when she did that and she laughed out loud when he cursed her.

They toppled heavily onto Abby's bed, because it was closer, and thankfully, further from Zoe's room, though they didn't realize that just then. Clothes were quickly discarded, and movements slowed unconsciously until King paused above her.

Abby tilted her face up to urge him on, but he just pressed a long, slow, scorching kiss to her lips.

"King." She whispered, and he kind of growled, kind of sighed and pressed his face to her neck.

"Are you sure this is what you want?"

She blinked up at him, then laughed. "Where was I when you grew up?" She whispered slyly, and laughed when he narrowed his eyes at her menacingly. Abby wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down to her.

* * *

Abby blinkedslowly with acontented smile. Their breathing had quieted, their heartbeats slowed. King leaned over Abby again, his cheek against her chest. Their moist skin stuck together. She felt like she'd die. There's no way anyone could be this happy and live through it. Her heart swelled, and she breathed evenly to ward off the lump in her throat and the burning behind her eyes. King looked up at her with his own cocky grin. 

"Whadda you smiling about?"

Abby closed her eyes and smiled, her hands in his hair, on his arms and his back, anywhere she could touch him.

"You know what. You."

He pressed a kiss under her chin then rolled on his back with a soft moan. Abby followed, wrapping an arm and a leg over his body, head nestled perfectly in the crook of his shoulder. Her hand moved absently over his muscles, unwittingly chasing all the weariness from him.

King looked down at her, the most perfect woman in the world. God, he loved her more than he loved himself. In this most intimate moment, she was completely different. Curled up against him, she let her guard down. She was just a young woman wanting nothing more than to be loved and protected forever.

And she would be.

"I love you, Abigail." King said without hesitation, and had no doubt what her answer would be.

"I love you too, Hannibal." She whispered before placing a kiss on his chest and drifting into the most peaceful sleep she could ever remember.

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The End!

I hope you enjoyed this lil fic. Please review, feel free to criticize, I know my writing is far from perfect.

luv

Austin B.


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